US7342833B2 - Nonvolatile memory cell programming - Google Patents

Nonvolatile memory cell programming Download PDF

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US7342833B2
US7342833B2 US11/209,294 US20929405A US7342833B2 US 7342833 B2 US7342833 B2 US 7342833B2 US 20929405 A US20929405 A US 20929405A US 7342833 B2 US7342833 B2 US 7342833B2
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voltage
applying
programming
programming voltage
source
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US20070058434A1 (en
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Craig A. Cavins
Martin L. Niset
Laureen H. Parker
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Shenzhen Xinguodu Tech Co Ltd
NXP BV
NXP USA Inc
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Freescale Semiconductor Inc
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Priority to TW095129481A priority patent/TW200713281A/zh
Priority to CN2006800305639A priority patent/CN101243520B/zh
Priority to JP2008527982A priority patent/JP2009506472A/ja
Priority to PCT/US2006/031840 priority patent/WO2007024565A2/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C16/00—Erasable programmable read-only memories
    • G11C16/02—Erasable programmable read-only memories electrically programmable
    • G11C16/04—Erasable programmable read-only memories electrically programmable using variable threshold transistors, e.g. FAMOS
    • G11C16/0408—Erasable programmable read-only memories electrically programmable using variable threshold transistors, e.g. FAMOS comprising cells containing floating gate transistors
    • G11C16/0425—Erasable programmable read-only memories electrically programmable using variable threshold transistors, e.g. FAMOS comprising cells containing floating gate transistors comprising cells containing a merged floating gate and select transistor
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C16/00—Erasable programmable read-only memories
    • G11C16/02—Erasable programmable read-only memories electrically programmable
    • G11C16/06—Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
    • G11C16/10—Programming or data input circuits
    • G11C16/12—Programming voltage switching circuits

Definitions

  • This invention relates in general to non volatile memories and in particular to a method of programming non volatile memory cells.
  • Non volatile memories include memory cells for storing logical values with the values being retained after power has been removed from the memory.
  • NVM cells utilize a charge storing structure such as e.g. a floating gate for storing charge indicative of the logic value (or values with some types of NVM cells) being stored in the cell.
  • a charge storing structure such as e.g. a floating gate for storing charge indicative of the logic value (or values with some types of NVM cells) being stored in the cell.
  • the level of charge stored in the charge storing structure affects the voltage threshold of the transistor of the cell during a voltage read.
  • a cell with a high voltage threshold would be considered as storing a logical “1” and a cell with a low voltage threshold would be considered as storing a logical “0”.
  • Conventional memory circuitry e.g. a sense amplifier
  • Logical values are stored in a memory cell by adding charge to the charge storing structure.
  • all of the cells of the NVM are first erased. Then cells in which a logic value (e.g. a logical 1) is to be stored would be programmed by adding charge to the charge storing structure of the cell. No charge would be added to cells in which another logic value (e.g. a logical 0) is desired to be stored. Thus, the charge storing structures of these cells would remain at the erased charge level.
  • a logic value e.g. a logical 1
  • hot carrier injection One type of programming an NVM cell is generally referred to as hot carrier injection.
  • a current electrode e.g. source or drain
  • a biasing gate e.g., select gate or control gate
  • the other current electrode e.g. the other of the source or drain
  • electrons move to the biased current electrode across a channel region, and electrons are injected into the charge storing structure to charge the charge storing structure.
  • One problem with conventional hot carrier injection programming is that it can damage the NVM cells ability to store logical values. Accordingly, the number of times that a cell may be programmed and still remain operational may be limited.
  • FIG. 1 is a partial side view of one type of non volatile memory cell.
  • FIG. 2 is a timing diagram for programming a non volatile memory cell according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a timing diagram for programming a non volatile memory cell according to another embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a partial side view of another type of non volatile memory cell.
  • FIG. 1 is a partial side view of one example of a non volatile memory cell 110 that may be programmed according to the embodiments set forth in the timing diagrams of FIGS. 2 and 3 .
  • memory cell 110 is a NVM cell implemented in a non volatile memory array (not shown) of an integrated circuit 108 .
  • the memory array may be a stand alone memory circuit.
  • the memory array may be implemented with a processor (not shown) or with other types of circuitry in an integrated circuit.
  • memory cell 110 is a split gate memory cell with a charge storing structure 114 (e.g. floating gate) separated from substrate 112 by dielectric material (not shown in FIG. 1 ).
  • Cell 110 also includes a select gate 116 having a portion separated from charge storing structure 114 by dielectric material and a portion separated from substrate 112 by dielectric material. In one embodiment, gate 116 may extend farther (to the left in the view of FIG. 1 ) over charge storing structure 114 and be used as a control gate.
  • Cell 110 includes a drain 120 and a source 118 , both of which are located in substrate 112 in the embodiment shown. In one embodiment, source 118 and drain 120 are formed by doping areas of substrate 112 .
  • Memory cell 110 may include other conventional structures or features not shown such as e.g. sidewall spacers, silicided contacts, barrier layers, plugs, and/or interlayer dielectrics.
  • select gate 116 and charge storing structure 114 are implemented with doped poly silicon, but each may be made of different materials in other embodiments.
  • gate 116 and/or charge storing structure 114 may be made of metal or other conductive materials.
  • charge storing structure 114 may be made of a charge trapping dielectric such as e.g. nitride or hafnium oxide.
  • charge storing structure 114 may include nanocrystals or other charge storing material.
  • charge storing structure may include a geometric shape (e.g. a pointed region or curved region) that enhances the electric field for removal of electrons during erase operations.
  • select gate 116 is electrically coupled to a word line (not shown) of the memory array
  • drain 120 is electrically coupled to a bit line (not shown) of the memory array
  • source 118 is electrically coupled to a source line (not shown) of the memory array.
  • these lines are implemented in interconnect layers above the substrate 112 and are coupled to conventional circuitry (e.g. line drivers, sense amplifiers) for applying voltages to these structures or measuring current or voltages from these structures during memory array operations.
  • circuitry e.g. line drivers, sense amplifiers
  • memory cell 110 is a 1-bit NVM cell which stores only one logical bit. However, other memory cells may store a different number of values.
  • charge is stored in charge storing structure 114 to store a one bit logical value in memory cell 110 . In the embodiment shown, the more negative charge stored in charge storing structure 114 , the higher the voltage threshold of memory cell 110 when read.
  • a read voltage (V DR ) is applied to drain 120 (as shown by terminal V D in FIG. 1 ) and a read voltage (V GR ) is applied to gate 116 to select the cell.
  • V DR a read voltage
  • V GR read voltage
  • a sense amplifier or other sensing circuitry is coupled to the drain during a read operation. The sense amplifier is used to differentiate between a first voltage threshold due to a first level of charge stored in charge storing structure 114 and a second voltage threshold due to a second level of charge stored in charge storing structure 114 .
  • Memory cell 110 is programmed by selectively adding or injecting charge into charge storing structure 114 to store a particular logic value.
  • the injected charge in charge storing structure 114 provides memory cell 110 with a voltage threshold above a predetermined voltage threshold level when read.
  • source side injection An example of a type of programming that may be used to inject charge into charge storing structure 114 is referred to as source side injection.
  • a programming voltage (V PS ) is applied to source 118 and a programming voltage (V PG ) is applied to select gate 116 .
  • drain 120 is coupled to a current source or voltage source during programming.
  • source side injection programming creates damage in memory cell 110 which reduces the memory cell's ability to provide a voltage threshold that is dependent upon the amount of charge stored in charge storing structure 114 or the ability to store charge in charge storing structure 114 . Accordingly, NVM cells can be programmed a limited number of times. Such limited programming decreases the flexibility of use of an integrated circuit implementing memory cell 110 .
  • FIG. 2 sets forth a timing diagram of one embodiment for programming a NVM cell with source side injection according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • a programming voltage is initially applied to source 118 at a lower level and then increased over the programming cycle.
  • a voltage is applied to source 118 and ramps up to a first voltage level (V SP1 ) at time t 1 .
  • V SP1 first voltage level
  • V PG programming voltage
  • drain 120 is placed in a condition to pull current from drain 120 thereby reducing its potential from V D1 to V D2 .
  • drain 120 is placed in a condition to pull current by electrically coupling a bit line to a current mirror (not shown).
  • the voltage applied to source 118 remains at V SP1 .
  • the voltage applied at source 118 begins to ramp up until it reaches V SP2 at time t 4 .
  • the voltage applied to source 118 remains at V SP2 until time t 5 , where it begins to ramp up until its reaches voltage V SP3 at time t 6 .
  • charge storing structure 114 is being programmed with voltage V SP3 being applied to source 118 .
  • the cell is deselected by, in the embodiment shown, removing the programming voltage from gate 116 .
  • drain 120 is removed from the condition where a current is pulled from drain 120 wherein the voltage of drain 120 moves back from V D2 to V D1 .
  • the voltage of source 118 is brought down to 0V.
  • V PS1 is 7 Volts
  • V PS2 is 8.5 Volts
  • V PS3 is 10.5 Volts
  • V PG is 2 Volts
  • V D1 is 2.5 volts
  • V D2 is 0.7 volts.
  • the time from time t 2 to time t 3 is 3 microseconds
  • the time t 3 to time t 5 is 4 microseconds
  • the time from time t 5 to time t 7 is 15 microseconds with the total time from time t 0 to time t 8 being less than 40 microseconds.
  • other embodiments may utilize other programming voltages and/or times.
  • the vertical field from the charge storing structure 114 to substrate 112 is a function of the charge of the charge storing structure 114 plus the source voltage (V S ).
  • V S source voltage
  • programming during a program cycle is performed with the source voltage being raised as the program cycle progresses. Because early in the programming cycle, the source voltage is at a lower level (e.g. V SP1 ), the vertical field between the charge storing structure 114 and substrate 112 is lower during the earlier portions of the programming cycle.
  • V SP1 a lower level
  • V SP3 were initially applied to source 118 at the beginning of the programming cycle, then the vertical field would be at a maximum due to the charge storing structure being at its maximum positive charge (the erased state) and the source being at a maximum voltage level simultaneously.
  • the vertical field is reduced during the initial portion of the programming cycle.
  • the positive charge of charge storing structure 114 is reduced thereby reducing the vertical field.
  • the source voltage can be raised.
  • V SP3 the positive charge of the charge storing structure 114 has been reduced such that the vertical field is significantly less than if V SP3 where initially applied during a programming cycle.
  • a high vertical filed during programming causes damage to the cell's gate dielectric thereby affecting the cell's ability to store logical values. Because the vertical field is reduced due to an initial lower source voltage of a programming cycle with the embodiments described, the amount of damage that occurs during a programming cycle due to the vertical field is reduced as well. Due to this reduced damage, a memory cell may be able to withstand more programming cycles and maintain operability.
  • the voltages applied to the gate and the source and their duration may be different.
  • the voltage applied to the source may be a continuous linear ramp function from 0V to the maximum programming source voltage.
  • the ramp may have a non linear function (e.g. parabolic).
  • Other embodiments may have a different number of source programming voltage levels e.g. just 2 (V SP1 and V SP2 ) or four or greater.
  • the source remains at the highest voltage (V SP3 in FIG. 2 ) for the longest period of time (e.g. when the bulk of programming is being performed).
  • the source voltage may remain at a fixed lower voltage level for a longer period of time than at the higher voltage level.
  • a read cycle of the memory cell may be performed after time t 8 to test the cell to see if it's programmed properly. If the cell does not read correctly, then another programming cycle may be performed.
  • FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of another embodiment of a programming cycle for programming an NVM cell according to the present invention.
  • the embodiment of FIG. 3 is different from the embodiment of FIG. 2 in that the source voltage is increased during the programming cycle in a step wise and discontinuous manner. For example, at time t 0 , the voltage is increased to V SP1 from 0 voltage and then reduced from V SP1 to 0V at time t 3 . The next increase in the source voltage (V SP2 ) occurs from time t 4 to time t 7 .
  • the cell is deselected. In the embodiment shown, cell 110 is deselected by applying 0 volts to gate 116 (e.g. from time t 2 to time t 5 and time t 6 to time t 9 ).
  • the cell is deselected during a change in source voltage. Accordingly, if a voltage overshoot occurs, the increase in the vertical field due to the excess voltage of the overshoot will not damage the cell in that the cell is deselected.
  • the embodiment of FIG. 2 may be modified such that the cell may be deselected before the ramp or during the ramp to voltage levels V SP1 , V SP2 , and/or V SP3 so that the cell is de-asserted at the end of the ramp when an overshoot may occur. Also in some embodiments, the source voltage may be stepped to the next higher voltage without being brought to zero volts as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3 .
  • One advantage of the programming cycles of FIGS. 2 and 3 is that the programming cycles are uninterruptible in that there are no intermittent read operations in between the increases in source voltage.
  • FIG. 4 is a partial side view of another type of NVM cell.
  • NVM cell 410 includes two biasing gates, a control gate 430 and a select gate 428 .
  • Cell 410 includes a nitride charge storing structure 426 .
  • Structure 426 , gate 428 , and gate 430 are located over substrate 412 .
  • Cell 410 includes both a source 419 and a drain 418 .
  • a source program voltage is applied to source 419 , a program voltage is applied to the control gate 430 , a program voltage is applied to select gate 428 , and a lower voltage is applied to drain 418 .
  • the voltage applied to the source may be increased during programming.
  • the programming voltage applied to gate 430 may be increased during programming as well.
  • the term source designates a current electrode of a memory cell that supplies carriers (e.g. electrons for N-channel devices or holes for P-channel devices) during a read of a storage location of the memory cell.
  • a drain is a current electrode of a memory cell that receives the carriers during a read of a storage location of the memory cell.
  • One embodiment includes a method of programming a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell that includes a first current electrode that functions as a source during a read operation, a second current electrode that functions as a drain during a read operation, and a control electrode that functions as a biasing gate.
  • the method includes applying a first programming voltage to the first current electrode and applying a second programming voltage to the first current electrode after the applying the first programming voltage.
  • the second programming voltage is greater than the first programming voltage.
  • the method also includes applying a programming voltage to the control electrode during the step of applying the first programming voltage and applying a programming voltage to the control electrode during the step of applying the second programming voltage.
  • the applying the first programming voltage is characterized as being performed by ramping up to the first programming voltage.
  • the applying the second programming voltage is further characterized as being performed by ramping from the first programming voltage to the second programming voltage.
  • the first programming voltage is applied for a first time duration
  • the second programming voltage is applied for a second time duration.
  • the second time duration is longer than the first time duration.
  • the NVM cell is deselected between the applying the first programming voltage and the applying the second programming voltage.
  • the first programming voltage and the second programming voltage are greater than a voltage applied to the control electrode during the step of applying a first programming voltage to the first current electrode and the step of applying a second programming voltage to the first current electrode.
  • the second current electrode is at a third voltage before the step of applying a first programming voltage to the first current electrode, the second current electrode is at a voltage different than the third voltage during the step applying a first programming voltage to the first current electrode, and the second current electrode is at a voltage different than the third voltage during the step applying a second programming voltage to the first current electrode.
  • the applying the second programming voltage uninterruptibly follows from the applying the first programming voltage.
  • the method further includes applying a third programming voltage to the first current electrode after the applying the first programming voltage, wherein the third programming voltage is greater than the second programming voltage.
  • the applying the third programming voltage is further characterized as being performed by ramping from the second programming voltage to the third programming voltage.
  • the applying the third programming voltage uninterruptibly follows from the applying the second programming voltage.
  • the first programming voltage is applied for a first time duration
  • the second programming voltage is applied for a second time duration
  • the third programming voltage is applied for a third time duration.
  • the third time duration is longer than the first time duration and the third time duration is longer than the second time duration.
  • the method further includes deselecting the NVM cell between the applying the second programming voltage and the applying the third programming voltage.
  • the NVM cell has a storage layer selected from the group consisting of a metal layer, a polysilicon layer, a layer of nanocrystals, and a charge storing dielectric layer.
  • the applying a first programming voltage to the first current electrode and the applying a second programming voltage to the first current electrode is further characterized as being performed by ramping through the first programming voltage to the second programming voltage.
  • Another embodiment includes a method of programming a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell that includes a biasing gate, a source, and a drain for reading the NVM cell.
  • the method includes applying a first voltage to the source for a first time duration, and after the applying the first voltage and before performing a read of the NVM cell, applying a second voltage to the source for a second time duration. The second voltage is greater than the first voltage.
  • the method includes after applying the second voltage and before performing a read of the NVM cells, applying a third voltage to the source for a third time duration. The third voltage is greater than the second voltage.
  • the third time duration is longer than the first time duration and the third time duration is longer than the second time duration.
  • Another embodiment includes a method for programming an NVM cell including a biasing gate, a source, and a drain for reading.
  • the method includes an uninterruptible portion that includes applying a first voltage to the source and applying a second voltage to the source. The second voltage is greater than the first voltage.
  • the uninterruptible portion further includes applying a third voltage to the source. The third voltage is greater than the second voltage.
  • the method also includes applying a voltage to the biasing gate during the applying the first voltage to the source, applying a voltage to the biasing gate during the applying the second voltage to the source, and applying a voltage to the biasing gate during the applying the third voltage to the source.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Semiconductor Memories (AREA)
  • Non-Volatile Memory (AREA)
  • Read Only Memory (AREA)
US11/209,294 2005-08-23 2005-08-23 Nonvolatile memory cell programming Active 2025-12-01 US7342833B2 (en)

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US11/209,294 US7342833B2 (en) 2005-08-23 2005-08-23 Nonvolatile memory cell programming
TW095129481A TW200713281A (en) 2005-08-23 2006-08-11 Nonvolatile memory cell programming
CN2006800305639A CN101243520B (zh) 2005-08-23 2006-08-16 非易失性存储单元的编程
JP2008527982A JP2009506472A (ja) 2005-08-23 2006-08-16 不揮発性メモリ・セルのプログラミング
PCT/US2006/031840 WO2007024565A2 (en) 2005-08-23 2006-08-16 Nonvolatile memory cell programming

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US20080253194A1 (en) * 2006-10-23 2008-10-16 Sim Sang-Pil Flash memory device and program method thereof
US20100128537A1 (en) * 2008-11-25 2010-05-27 Mohammed Suhail Method of programming a non-volatile memory
US8320191B2 (en) 2007-08-30 2012-11-27 Infineon Technologies Ag Memory cell arrangement, method for controlling a memory cell, memory array and electronic device

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